Driving mechanism.



A. W.y ALTORFER. DRIVING MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED Dsc. s. 19m

Patented Nov. 11, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

A. W. ALTORPER.

DRIVING MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED 1mm. 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented NOV. 11, 1913.

WTA/55.555

/V I: eli/@ A. W. ALTORFER.

DRIVING MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. s, 1912,

Patented Nov. 11, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

- tion.

, tions, bearing Serial Nos. 533,666; 583,818

strATEs IATENT OFFICE.

ALPIIEUs W. ALTORFER, or noANoriiii, ILLINOIS, AssIGNOR'rO POWER WASHING MACHINE co.,y or PEORIA, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS. l

DRIVING MECHANISM.

Specicat'on of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 11, 1913.

f l Application led December 3, 1912. Serial No. 734,688.

,T0 all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ALPHEUS'W. ALTOR- FER, a citizen of the United- Sta-tes residing at Roanoke, in t-he county of Woo 'ford' and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Driving Mechanisms, of which the following is a specifica- This invention has reference to improvements in drivino' mechanisms and has for its -object to provide a driving mechanism more especially applicable to the operating means of a washing machineand like structures.

The invention has for a further object a driving mechanism for washing machines and like structures which is power operated and with which the operating means of the washing machine may be moved into andv out of. operative engagement with said driving mechanism.

The constructions shown in this application are disclosed in my three prior applicaand 719,935, respectively.

That the invention may be ymore fully understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 isa side elevation of a machine support and machine thereon with my mechanism employed for actuating the opera-ting means of said machine; Fig. 2 is an end elevation looking at the right hand end of Fig. 1, the operating meansof the machine shown in dotted lines as being in inoperative relation with said driving mechanism; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, eX- cept that the driving mechanism is modified slightly; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a modified constructionof machine support, including amodified driving mechal nism for the operating means of the washing` machine, and Fig. 5 is an4 end view of the structure shown in Fig. V4, illustrating by dotted lines ho-w the opera-ting means is moved out of operative engagement with the driving mechanism. i

Like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the figures.

The driving mechanism which I employ is especially Aapplicable to that improved type of Washing machine struct-ure, which comprises a machine support on which may be mounted awashing machine or like struci ture adapted to be driven by power; one Or more tubs Orreceptacles into which clothes may be wrung from the washing machine and after rinsing, wrung into a receiving receptacle, and a wringing mechanism mounted on said machine support adapted to be driven from the same power which is used for operating the washing machine and which `,said wringing mechanism is movable with respect to the washing machine and rinsing tub or tubs or receptacles supported by said machine supp-ort. `It is my aim to act-nate the operating means of the washing machine from a driving mechanism which is operated by power; the Operatin means of the washing machine being of t at type which is secured to the top of the machine or the vlid or cover therefor and movable into and out of operative relation with said driving mechanism, when the machine is swung on the support for draining the machine or when the lid or cover is swung back on its hinges.

In thedrawings, the numeral 1 designates the machine support or main frame, preferably rectangular in form' and having the longitudinal side members 2, the end' members 3 and the supporting members or legs 4. In Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the frame structure of the support is made of wood, whereas in Figs. 4 and 5 the longitudinal side members 5 are made ofl angle iron bent at 6 to produce thev end supporting members or legs 7 which are integral with the side members 5. When constructing the frame of metal, I employ the longitudinal braces 8 and the transverse braces 9 and 10, also, the diagonal braces 11. The machinesupport may include a flooring or cross supporting niembers adapted to support the washing machine, tubs or receptacles, however, such fiooring or cross supporting 'members are not shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3 but a flooring is shown at 12 in Figs. 4 and 5. A

Reference being had to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, 13 designates a driving shaft which is disposed longitudinally of the machine support and alongside of one of the side memreceive its power in any suitable manner and from any suitable source of power, and while I have shown the pulley 16 as a single pulley, it is of course understood that it may comprise a fast and loose member on the shaft, with means for shiftinfr the belt or other driving means. The puljley 15 is used for'transmitting power from the shaft 13 to the o erating means of a washing machine or lilie structure, in a lmanner which will be explained.

17 designates a Washing machine or like structure, which may be of any approved construction having a lid or cover 18 shown in dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3 sup orting the operating means for actuating t e agitator or other mechanism for the interior of the machine, said operating means including the shaft 19 and a driving member or wheel 20.- In this instance, said driving member or Wheel 20 is shown having a frictional engaging periphery, although said driving member or wheel may be of any other preferred construction and driven other than by frictional means.

To actuate the driving member or wheel 2O of the Washing machine, ,a belt 21 is employed, driven by the pulley 15, and said lt 21 travels crosswise of the machine supi port at one endthereof, passing around an idler pulley 22 carried by a bar 23 pivotally connected or supported at 24 to the cross piece 3; said belt 2l also travels over an idler Wheel 25 carried by a bar 26 also secured to said cross piece 3L To produce slack in the belt 21 and `that said belt may be maintained in operative position to be engaged byl said driving member or wheel 20 and when so engaged to operate the said wheel, a Ispring 27 is attached at one end to the bar 23 and its opposite end suitably secured to the frame of the support. This form of my invention is shown in Fig. 2. It is obvious from the foregoing that when the shaft 13 is operated it will rotate the pulley 15 and said pulley in turn will actuate the belt 21, which said belt traveling around said pulley 15 and the idler pulleys 22 and 25 is in a position, when the lid or cover of the washing machine is closed to frictionally engage and impart movement to the driving member or wheel 20, which in turn will operate the mechanism Wit-hin the washing machine 17. To cut out the washing machine and mechanism therein, or to disconnect the operating mechanism of said washing machine, its lid or cover 18 may be raised as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2,

which will mve the driving member or wheel 20 out of operative engagement with said belt'21, and said belt may continue to be operated, the operative mechanism may be instantly thrown into use by closing the lid or cover 18, placing the driving member ll(rlwheel 2O into operative relation with said tub 28. In Fig. 1, I also show a wringing 1 mechanism indicated generally as 30, whic is movably supported on the machinesupport and adapted to be driven when desired from the driving shaft 13, 'but as the wringing mechanism forms' no part of the invention herein claimed, it is not thought necessary to specifically describe the structure and operation of such wringing mechanism.

In Fig. 3, I have shown a driving mechanism which is in most respects similar to' the driving mechanism shown in Fig. 2, eX- eept that I employ only one idler pulley 29 which is similar to the idler pulley 22 and support said idler pulley 22 on a bracket 30 which is vertically adjustable on an upright or suitable support 31. The bracketv 30 has the slot 32, and 33 is a suitable locking and adjusting means by 'means of which the bracket when adjusted to diferent positions, may be locked in such adjusted position. In this figure, in dotted lines, the lid or cover 18 of the machine 17 has been raised to move the driving member or Wheel 20 from operative relation With the belt 21.

In Figs. 4 and 5, the driving shaft 34, which is similar to the driving shaft 13 in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, isfdisposed longitudinally of the machine, but instead of being located alongside of and adjacent a side member 2, said shaft is located centrally of the machine, and on one end carries the pulleys 35 and 36, which are similar and correspond, respectively, with the pulleys 15 and 16 on the shaft 13;'said pulley 36 adapted to be driven from any suitable source of power and the pulley 35 adapted to actuate the belt 21. In this structure, the idler pulleys 37 and 38 which are similar to the idler pulleys 22 and 25, are suitably mounted on the upper ends of similar uprights 39 and in such a position that the belt 21, which travels from one idler pulley to the other, may be engaged by the driving member or wheel 2O carried by the lid or cover 18 of the Washing machine. In Fig. 5, the lid or cover is shown in .dotted lines as raised, removing the driving member or wheel 20 from frictional engagement with the belt 21.

What I claim 1. In a machine of the character described, a machine support, a driving shaft, a machine mounted on said support, an operating means for4 said machine movably mounted thereon and including ashaft and a driving member, a belt adapted to be driven by the l driving shaft and arranged to have a frictional contact with said driving member, and an idler wheel for said belt.

2. In a machine of the character described, a machine support, a drivin shaft, a belt adapted to be driven by sa1d shaft, idler wheels for said belt, supports for said idler Wheels, a machine mounted on said machine support and having a movable element, an operating means for said machine mounted on said element and includin a shaft and a wheel thereon having a frictional engaging surface, said Wheel when said element is in one position, arranged to have a frictional engagement with said belt and when in another position to be out of frictional engagement with said belt.

3. In a machine of the character described, a machine support, a driving shaft suitably journaled on said support, two wheels on said shaft, one for receiving power from a suitable source for operating said shaft and the other adapted to drive a belt, a belt arranged to be operated from said shaft, an idler wheel for said belt, a support for said idler wheel, a machine mounted on said machine support, an operating means on said machine, said operating means including a wheel adapted to have a frictional engaging relation with said belt, and supporting means on the machine for the operating means thereof, said supporting means adapted to be raised and lowered for moving said wheel out of and into engaging relation with Va machine support, a driving shaft extending longitudinally of said support and suit ably journaled thereon, a driving member on said shaft, a belt adapted to be driven by said driving member and extending transversely of said support, an idler wheel suitably mounted on said machine support around which said belt travels, a machine mounted on said machine support and provided With an operating means including a shaft anda wheel thereon, having a frictional engaging surface, said wheel arranged to be driven by said belt, and supporting means on said machine for the shaft and wheel of the operating means thereof, said supporting means being movable to adapt a connection and disconnection of said wheel with said belt.

In testimon whereof I affix my signature, in presence o two witnesses.

ALPHEUS W. ALTORFER. Witnesses:

CEAS. N. LA PORTE, MILDRED F. BOMAN. 

